FAO Asst Dir-Gen to Asharq Al-Awsat: 75 mln Arabs at risk of starvation by decade’s end

Published 25 Jun,2021 via Asharq Alawsat (English Edition) - A United Nations report shed light on the progress made by countries in the region in achieving the second sustainable development goal pertaining to eradicating hunger, achieving food security and eliminating all forms of malnutrition.

Issued on Thursday, the report, “Near East and North Africa Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2020,” suggested that the prospects for food security and nutrition in the region were likely to deteriorate due to the massive economic disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to an increase in the number of vulnerable people, who are unable to adopt healthy and balanced diets.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, AbdulHakim Elwaer, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, said that food insecurity and malnutrition constituted a “serious challenge”, noting that the Arab region was still off the right track to achieve the second of its sustainable development goals, which is the eradication of hunger.